Pattern control apparatus for a knitting machine



Nov. 11, 1969 v J. R. COMAS 3,477,254

PATTERN CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A KNITTING MACHTNE Filed March 14, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l TNVENTOR. jg yg Nov. 11, 1969 J. R. coMAs 3,477,254

PATTERN CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 14, 1966 I I I Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 my: 1, 1 1 l I i 45 2.9a 1, I /a 3/ I z. I Z26 v v 4 M 24a J24 I I [7 Z714 \xZBa Zia Z3 i I! t I Z5 I Z5 /a 5 J0 Z2 7 Z9, I, a i M I J INVENTOR,

J. R. COMAS Nov. 1-1, 1959 PATTERN CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A KNZITTVINS MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fil'ed Mafch 14, 1966 J. R. COMAS Nov. 11, 1 969 PATTERN CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 Filed March 14, 196 6 INVENTOR. t PuuQ/ifQH Qr Nov. 11, 1969 .J. R. COMAS ,477

PATTERN CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A KNTTTING MACHINE Filed March 14, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTQR. Ja W; Hahn; in 1:, BY

United States Patent Int. c1. nimb /76 US. Cl. 66-69 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Pattern control apparatus for a knitting machine comprises a needle bed and an additional needle bed, a pattern chain, and means for shifting the one needle bed with reference to the other needle bed under the control of the pattern chain.

The present invention relates to a pattern control apparatus for a knitting machine, and more particularly to apparatus for shifting one needle bar of a so-called rib knitting machine relative to another needle bar under the control of a pattern chain.

The term rib knitting machine is used in the present application in accordance with the Hosiery Trade Journal of Leicester, England and refers to a machine whose operation is described in Fig. 347 of the Spanish language book Generos de Punto, by Isidro Rius Sintes. In machines of this type, a movable needle bed carries a straight row of needles and slides relative to a fixed parallel needle bed carrying another row of needles so that the needles are movable between aligned and staggered positions for forming stitches in accordance with a knitting pattern.

It is one object of the invention to provide a simple and eflicient pattern control apparatus which is capable of reliably controlling the needle bed movement of a knitting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact and reliable pattern control apparatus for a rib knitting machine.

With these objects in view, the present invention relates to a pattern control apparatus which is articularly suited for a rib knitting machine. One embodiment of the invention comprises a needle bed means movable between a plurality of positions for knitting a patterned fabric; operating means, preferably including a turnable cam and cam follower means connected with the needle bed means and having a plurality of positions for moving the needle bed means; actuating means reciprocable in a first direction and including a pair of actuating members connected also for movement together in a second direction transverse to the first direction between an inoperative position, and two operative positions; pattern control means for representing a selected knitting pattern, preferably a pattern chain carrying pattern stops of different height; drive means for moving the pattern control means, and for reciprocating the actuating means in the first direction in timed relation; and sensing means for sensing the pattern control means, and more particularly the pattern stops, and being operatively connected with the pair of actuating members for moving the same between the operative and inoperative positions in accordance with the knitting pattern of the pattern control means.

Depending on which of the actuating members is operative during a reciprocating stroke in the first direction, the operating cam means are turned in opposite direction for shifting the needle bar forward or rearwards, and when the pattern control means place the pair of actuating members through the sensing means in the inopera- 3,477,254 Patented Nov. 11, 1969 tive position, the operating cam means do not move, and consequently the needle bed means remains in the same position as during the preceding stitch.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a wheel having two diametrically opposite ratchet portions is secured to the operating cam means for turning move ment therewith, and the actuating members are pivoted arms connected by a transverse bar which has a follower roller sensing the pattern stops on the pattern chain.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating a cam assembly constituting operating means for a needle bed;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the pattern controlled actuating means of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the connection between the cam assembly of FIG. 1 with the movable needle bar of a rib knitting machine;

FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c are fragmentary plan views illustrating three operational positions of the cam assembly; and

FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c are fragmentary plan views illustrating three operational positions assumed by the actuating means under the control of the pattern stops on a pattern chain.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 2, a base plate 1 has a pair of brackets 25 with rectangular cutouts closed by covers 24 and forming a pair of guides for a guide bar 23 which carries a cam follower roller 50 cooperating with the peripheral track of a drive cam 49 mounted on a drive shaft 47 which is continuously rotated from the main drive shaft of the knitting machine. During each revolution of a drive shaft 47, drive bar 23 will reciprocate in a forward and in a return stroke in longitudinal direction thereof.

Another drive bar 32 is mounted in a rectangular cutout in a bracket 31a closed by a cover 31 so that drive bar 32 is slidably guided for reciprocating movement in longitudinal direction. A drive cam 48 on drive shaft 47 engages a cam follower roller 33 carried by drive bar 32 so that the same is reciprocated in timed relation with the reciprocation of drive bar 23.

A pattern chain 42 has links engaged by the teeth of a chain sprocket 41 which is secured to a ratchet wheel 40. A ratchet pawl 38 is mounted on a pivot pin 36 on the end portion of drive bar 32, and is urged by a torsion spring 37 into engagement with ratchet wheel 40.

When drive bar 32 with pawl 38 is reciprocated by the drive means 47, 48, ratchet wheel 40 turns with chain sprocket 41 and pattern chain 42 is stepwise moved.

Patterfu stops of different height are selectively attached to chain links of the pattern chain, and include high pattern stops 43a and lower pattern stops 43b. The sequence of high and low pattern stops is selected according with the desired knitting pattern, and some chain links 430 have no pattern stops, or very small pattern stops and are arranged in a selected sequence with the pattern stops 43b and 43a, as best seen in FIGS. 4a to 4c.

Drive bar 23 is secured to, or integral with a transverse actuating bar 22 carrying a pair of pivots 22a and 22b mounting a pair of actuating members 18 and 19 for turning movement so that the end portions 20 and 20a are movable in a direction transverse to the direction of reciprocation of drive bar 23 and actuating bar 22 under the control of drive cam 49.

Pins 28 are respectively secured to actuating members 18 and 19 and connected by a spring 28a so that actuating members 18 and 19 are drawn toward each other. Such movement is limited by a pair of stops 27 and 27a which are adjustable along a control bar 26 and can be secured in adjusted positions by screws 27b passing through a slot.

Control bar 26 has slots 29 and 29a through which screws 30 pass into corresponding threaded bores on bosses 1a of base plate 1. A sensing roller 45 is turnably mounted on the end portion 46 of control bar 26, and cooperates with the pattern stops 43a, 43b, 430 of the pattern chain, as best seen in FIGS. 4a to 40. A spring 51a is secured to the base plate 1 and to actuating member 19 to pull actuating members 18 and 19, which are connected by spring 28a, toward the pattern chain so that control bar 26 is moved by stop 27 toward the pattern chain whereby sensing roller 45 resiliently engages the pattern stops. As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the actuating members 18 and 19 will assume the position shown in FIG. 4a when sensing roller 45 engages a medium pattern stop 43b, the position of FIG. 4b when sensing roller 45 engages a high pattern stop 43a, and the position of FIG. 40 when sensing roller 45 is located opposite a link 43c having a low pattern stop or no pattern stop.

Base plate 1 has a tubular seat 2 provided with two diametrically arranged slots 3 and 3a into which the pawl-shaped end portions 20 and 20a of actuating members 18 and 19 project. The cam assembly 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is mounted in the tubular seat 2 which is cut out at 4. The assembly 5 includes a shaft 6 carrying a journal plate 6a by which it is mounted in seat 2, a ratchet disc 7 which has two diametrically disposed ratchet portions 8, 8a, see also FIG. 4a, an arresting wheel 9 cooperating with a resilient catch, not shown, projecting through recess 4 for resiliently arresting shaft 6 in angularly displaced positions, and a pair of cams 15 and 16 secured by a hub portion 17 to shaft 6.

A stationary guide plate 10 has an opening for shaft 6 and is mounted on the tubular seat 2. Guide plate 10 has a guideway 10:: in which a slide 11 is mounted for longitudinal movement between two end positions, and an intermediate position in which shaft 6 is spaced from the ends of a slot 11a in slide 11. A pair of blocks 12 is secured to slide 11 for movement with the same, and cam follower screws 13 and 13' are mounted in corresponding threaded bores of blocks 12 so that the positions of the points of the cam follower screws can be adjusted whereupon the same are fixed by set screws 13a. The pairs of screws 13 and 13' are located at different levels so that screws 13 cooperate with cam 16, and screws 13' cooperate with cam 15, as best seen in FIG. 3. A cover 1 4 is secured by four screws to the top face of guide plate 10 so that guideway 10a is closed. When shaft 6 is turned together with earns 15 and 16, slide 11 is shifted to the, left or right as viewed in FIG. 1, and will move in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 3. Slide 11 is connected by a bar 11b connected to a portion 52a of a plate 52 having a needle bed 52b with a row of needles 53 and being mounted on the knitting machine for longitudinal movement together with the row of needles 53 and relative to needles 53 of another needle bed 51b on a stationary plate 51. The construction of the knitting machine is known, and not an object of the present invention.

OPERATION When drive shaft 47 is rotated, drive bars 32 and 23 are reciprocated in longitudinal direction by earns 48 and 49. Pawl 38 on drive bar 32 cooperates with ratchet 40 to stepwise move sprocket 41 and pattern chain 42 so that the pattern stops 43a, 43b, and 430 engage the sensing roller 45 and shift control bar 26 different distances depending on the height of the operative pattern stop. In the position of FIG. 4a, in which a medium height pattern stop 43b is operative, control bar 26 with stops 27 and 27a is in an intermediate position in which stops 27 hold actuating member apart against the action of spring 28 and in a position in which the pawl portions 20 and 20a are spaced from the diametrically arranged ratchet portions 8 and 8a of ratchet wheel 8. Reciprocation of drive bar 23 will cause reciprocation of the actuating means 22, 18 and 19, but since pawl portions 20, 2011 are in an inoperative position, ratchet wheel 8, and shaft 6 of the cam assembly are not turned.

In the position of FIG. 4b, a high pattern stop 43a is operative to displace the sensing means 45, 26, 27 so that stop 27 moves actuating member 18 with pawl portion 20 to a position spaced from the corresponding ratchet portion 8, whereas spring 28 pulls actuating member 19 with pawl portion 20a to a position engaging ratchet portion 8a. Actuating member 19 is spaced from stop 27a in this position, and the force of spring 51a is overcome by the greater force of spring 28. Reciprocation of the actuating means 22, 18, 19 by drive bar 23 will cause stepwise turning movement of ratchet wheel 5, and if three high pattern stops 43a are placed in succession on pattern chain 42, ratchet wheel 5 will turn three steps in counterclockwise direction, causing corresponding tuming movement of shaft 6 and earns 15 and 16.

In the position of FIG. 4c, a low pattern stop 430, or no pattern stop is provided so that spring 51a pulls actuating member 19 toward the pattern chain and away from ratchet wheel 7 and its ratchet portion 8a. Spring 28 pulls actuating member 18 toward ratchet wheel 7 so that pawl portion 20 engages ratchet portion 8. In this position of actuating member 18, the same is spaced from stop 27. Reciprocation of drive bar 23 with actuating means 22, 18, 19 will cause turning movement of ratchet wheel 7 in clockwise direction.

FIGS. 30, 3b and 30 show cam means 15 and 16 in three operational positions in which the same can be placed by angularly turning ratchet wheel 7 with shaft 6, as described with refernce to FIGS. 4a to 40.

In the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3a, the lobes of cam 16 cooperate with the cam follower screws 13, and slide 11 is held in a central position so that needle plate 52 with needle bed 52b is held by the con necting rod 11b in an intermediate position.

When ratchet wheel 7 is turned by actuating member 18, 20 in the position of FIG. 40 in clockwise direction, shaft 6 with cams 15 and 16 is turned to the position of FIG. 3b in which cam 15 cooperates with follower screw 13' to displace slide 11, and thereby needle bed 52b to the right as viewed in the drawing so that the row of needles on needle bed 52b assumes a position offset to the needles on needle bed 51b for the purpose of performing a knitting operation as explained with reference to Fig. 392 of the book Generos de Punto, by Isidro Rius Sintes.

When ratchet wheel 7 is turned in counterclockwise direction by actuating member 19, 20a in the position of FIG. 4b, shaft 6 with cams 15 and 16 is turned to the position of FIG. 3c in which cam 15 cooperates with the other follower screw 13 to move slide 11, and thereby needle bed 52b toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Everytime actuating means 22, 18, 19 perform a forward and rearward reciprocating stroke while the actuating means are in one of the operative positions shown in FIGS. 4b and 4c, cams 15 and 16 are turned together one step to operate slide 11 and the needle bed through cam followers 13, 13', and consequently members 7 to 17 constitute operating means connected with the needle bed and being turned by the actuating means when the sameare in an operative position. If the actuating means are in the inoperative position shown in FIG. 4a, the operating means are not turned during the reciprocation of the actuating means in the direction of the drive bar 23.

Two angular steps of ratchet wheel 7 in one direction of rotation produced under the control of two pattern stops of the same height will cause movement of the needle bed from one end position to the other, and one step in the respective opposite direction will return the needle bar to the central position.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of pattern control apparatus for knitting machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a pattern control apparatus including cam means for shifting a needle bed of a plain knitting machine and selectively turned in opposite directions under the control of a pattern chain, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Pattern control apparatus for a knitting machine, comprising, in combination, needle bed means movable between a plurality of positions for knitting a patterned fabric; operating means connected with said needle bed means and being turnable between a plurality of positions for moving said needle bed means between said positions of the same, said operating means including turnable cam means, cam follower means cooperating with said cam means, a slide supporting said cam follower means and being shifted with the same under control of said cam means, connecting means for connecting said slide with said needle bed means, and a ratchet wheel having diametrically disposed oppositely directed ratchet teeth; actuating means reciprocable in a first direction and including a pair of actuating members connected also for movement together in a second direction transverse to said first direction between an inoperative position and two operative positions in which one or the other of said actuating members is operative during movement in said first direction to turn said operating means in opposite directions, respectively, whereby said needle bed means is moved between said positions, said actuating means ineluding a transverse member connected with said drive means and reciprocated by the same in said one direction, pivot means for supporting said actuating members for angular movement on said transverse member, said actuating members having pawl end portions respectively located on opposite sides of said ratchet wheel to cooperate with said diametrically disposed ratchet portions, spring means connecting said actuating members for urging the same to turn toward each other, and adjustable stop means limiting movement of said actuating members toward each other; pattern control means for representing a knitting pattern including a pattern control chain having pattern stops of different height mounted thereon in a selected succession, and a chain sprocket for said chain; drive means for moving said pattern control means and stepwise turning of said chain sprocket, and for reciprocating said actuating means in said first direction in timed relation, said drive means including a rotary drive shaft and pawl means operatively associated with the same and said sprocket for effecting said stepwise turning of the same, said drive means including a pair of drive cams, and a pair of drive members having cam followers cooperating with said drive cams and being reciprocated by the same, said drive members being respectively connected with said actuating means for reciprocating the same in said one direction, and with said sprocket wheel for causing stepwise movement of the same in synchronism with the reciprocating movement of said actuating means; and sensing means for sensing said pattern control means and being operatively connected with said pair of actuating members for moving the same in said transverse direction between said operative and inoperative positions in accordance with the knitting pattern of said pattern control means so that said needle bed means assumes positions for knitting said pattern, said sensing means including a control member carrying said stop means for limiting movement of said actuating member and being movable in said transverse direction for displacing said actuating members between said inoperative and said operative positions, a sensing roller on said control bar for sensing said pattern stops so that said control bar and thereby said actuating members are displaced in accordance with the height of said pattern stops.

2. A pattern control apparatus according to claim 1, said cam means being turnable between three positions, and said cam follower means being operative for moving said needle bed means between corresponding three positions, said ratchet wheel being secured to said turnable cam means; and wherein said actuating members are located on opposite sides of said ratchet wheel and have pawl end portions cooperating with said ratchet wheel to turn the same and said cam means in opposite directions when said actuating members are, respectively, in said operative positions.

3. A pattern control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said cam means include two cams secured to each other for turning movement; and wherein said cam follower means include two pairs of cam followers respectively cooperating with said cams, and a slide sup porting said cam followers and being connected with said needle bed means.

4. A pattern control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means include a spring-loaded pawl on one of said drive members, a ratchet wheel cooperating with said pawl for stepwise moving said pattern control means; and wherein said actuating means include a member secured to the other drive member so that said actuating means are reciprocated in said one direction for actuating said operating means.

5. A pattern control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pattern control means include a ratchet wheel secured to said chain sprocket for turning movement therewith; and wherein said pawl means includes a pawl on one of said drive members cooperating with said last-mentioned ratchet wheel for stepwise moving said chain sprocket and said pattern chain.

6. A pattern control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cam means includes two cams secured to each other for turning movement; and wherein said cam follower means includes a pair of blocks mounted on said slide, and two pairs of adjustable follower screws respectively cooperating with said two cams so that said slide is moved with said needle bed means between two end positions and an intermediate position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,862 10/1898 Lamb 6669 XR 892,902 7/ 1908 Schutz 6669 1,015,668 1/1912 Dubied 6669 FOREIGN PATENTS 436,947 11/ 1926 Germany.

WILLIAM C. REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner 

